Twelve days of Trollsmas (A Christmas Special!)

Calling birds

Branch got home pretty much as soon as they left Mandy's. Without hesitation he took the bracelet off and put it on his bed side table before he fell asleep.

"Branch! Branch! Branch!" Poppy's voice echoed into Branch's house. He was already up, finding a new hiding place for his stash of letters, but he wished that she didn't bang the door. Opening the door, Poppy and her friends walk into Branch's home, despite his actions to stop them.
"So, Branch, how have you been?" Aspen puts a hand on Branch's shoulder. He shrugs it off.
"I've been fine, Aspen. How have you been." Aspen nods and replies with; "Good."

Everyone makes themselves comfortable and suddenly Branch's dark, opened space of a living room was now a brightly cramped space. Sighing, Branch walks to the centre.
"What are you doing?" Branch asks.
"Aspen said we should come by your house to enjoy some time with you before we go gather food for the feast." DJ Suki says in response. Branch glares in Aspens direction. Aspen just smiles.
"So..." Biggie starts. "What do you do for fun in here?"
"I sing and dance and party." Branch says sarcastically.
"Really?" Cooper asks. Branch roles his eyes, and goes to his room. He looks behind to see if anyone is following - they aren't. Without a second thought, he closes the door enough so nobody can see him and starts shoving the last of the letters he received from Poppy into a spare bag under his bed.

"What you doing?" Aspen stands in the doorway. Branch panics and says that he was getting the bracelet. "Nice try, what's this." Aspen goes to his bed and lifts up the bag.
"Nothing. Give it." Branch grabs the strap and yanks it from Aspen, spilling letters everywhere. Branch curses and harries to hide all the letters that are singing.
"Whoa, are all these..." Aspen starts.
"Nope, no they are not what you think." Branch says quickly covering them up.
"Branch! Is everything okay?" Poppy calls, her voice getting closer.
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" He shoves all the letters into the bag and shoves them under his bed.
"Branch?" He turns to see everyone coming through the threshold of his room. Within an instant Branch pushes them back out.
"Let's just go and gather the stupid food." Everyone cheers and starts singing - except Branch.

When they get to the farm, everything seem all to familiar to Branch but also unfamiliar.
"Okay, Satin and Chenille - strawberries. Biggie, gather as many jelly beans as you can. Cooper and DJ gather up the smaller berries. Guy Diamond go with Creek and see if you can gather up the sweets coconuts. Mandy and Moxie you can gather the nectar fruits. Branch, Aspen and I will gather the apples." Poppy says and everyone nods and runs off singing.

"Aspen you up for a bit of climbing?" Poppy asks. He laughs and nods.
"Always." Poppy skips away, stating she's getting a basket for the apples.
"So, Branch." Aspen nudges Branch.
"No! No, no, no." Branch tries to walk faster but Aspen starts riding his skitterboard.
"Come on, admit you like Poppy." He smiles, playfully punching his arm.
"I don't!" Branch defends.
"That's why you kept all the letters she ever gave you? Because you don't like her?" Aspen says, stopping in front of Branch. "Admit it and I won't say anything else about it."
"I don't like her, Aspen." They reach the apple trees and the place is deserted.
"Branch, my man, come on."
"Come on what? There's nothing to tell, 'my man'." Branch exaggerates.
"Okay then."

Aspen stays quiet and sits quietly next to Branch until Poppy comes back into sight.
"I got the baskets! Let's go!" Poppy yells from afar.
"I'm gonna tell her." Aspen stands up and Branch starts to panic again.
"No, don't!" He pleads.
"Then admit it!" Aspen crosses his arms.
"I don't like her!" Poppy comes into hearing range after that, that's when Aspen turns his attention to Poppy.
"Hey, Poppy, I just heard the most amazing news!" Aspen starts.
"Aspen, don't, please." Branch begs quietly.
"Oh yeah? Even better than these cute baskets?" She holds up brightly coloured baskets that are rimmed with glitter.
"Yes, way better. Did you know that Branch-"
"I like apples! There I said it." Branch glares at Aspen. "That's the news, I really really...REALLY like apples." Aspen smiles.
"Yes, yes he does."
"That's so great! I like them caramelised! How do you like your apples?" Branch turns to Aspen who is grinning like crazy.
"I like them just the way they are, in their natural state." Aspen puts a hand on his shoulder.
"Honestly, I like apples, just not the way you do." Aspen says before starting his climb. "I'll throw them down, you start catching the falling apples, okay, Branch?" Aspen teases. Branch roles his eyes, Poppy doesn't expect a thing.
"Hair we go!"

***

The tree started loosing colour as the bright red apples were being picked. Branch was happy it was nearly over, Poppy started naming everything she likes and how she likes them.

"Ou, and I like my strawberries dipped in white chocolate. And sprinkled! What about you, Branch?" Branch roles his eyes and that makes him miss an apple.
"Shoot." He chases after the apple that has rolled away. That's when he realised why this place felt familiar. He looks up to see him grandma's old house. He steps back in shock, tripping on a rock and falling hard to the ground. He can hear his voice when he was little calling out for grandma as he gets up from the fall. He doesn't want to stay here but he can't move.

"Branch, where'd you go?" Poppy's voice is blurred out by the memories Branch starts experiencing. The song total eclipse of the heart starts playing in his head and he sits up on his knees as he did all those years ago.
"Branch, what's wrong?" Poppy gets to his side and shakes him. "Branch?" Poppy tries to talk to him but Branch has closed the world off as the song plays.
"Poppy! Branch! Where'd you two go-oh." The others have come to the small clearing and surrounded Branch.
"Is he okay?"
"What's wrong with him?"
"Branch?"
Everyone tries to contact him but he is frozen. It is only until the song ends in his head when he gets up and goes home.

Branch went straight to his room and locked himself in. It held everyone off for a while.
"Branch, you in here?" Everyone starts calling him but he was in plain sight, sitting on a chair.
"Go." Branch says.
"Branch, we are here to help." The twins so as unison.
"Just go, I don't need help."
"Everyone needs help, Branch." Biggie jumps in.
"Not me." Branch stands up, his cheeks were slightly wet. "Now go, all of you. Right now. I'm done with the twelve days of Trollsmas. I'm done with your singing and dancing, your positive moods, your loud voices, your brightly coloured skin and clothes. Just go." Branch exclaims, opening the door. "Leave."
"Branch-" Poppy starts.
'No! Go away." One by one they left.
"Sorry, Branch." Guy Diamond says, dropping his head.
" We just wanted to help, that's all." The twins say, leaving after Guy Diamond.
"We are here for you." Cooper says, looking at Branch before going.
"We always have been." DJ continues.
"Try to be positive, okay Branch? It's good for the hair." Creek leaves, patting Branch's shoulder.
"Everyone needs help in their lives, come get us when you need us." Biggie leaves without another word. Mr. Dinkles just makes a high pitched noise.
"We're sorry." Moxie and Mandy say, not looking at him.
Aspen stops in front of Branch. "I'm sorry for invading your privacy. We good?" Branch looks away, refusing to make eye contact. Aspen sighs and leaves.
Branch waits for Poppy to leave but she doesn't. "Poppy, you too." Branch says, with much sadness.
"No! I'm here for you. Don't cut me out - you can't. I'm staying until you tell me what's wrong." She folds her arms in frustration.
"Poppy, now isn't the-ah!" Birds fly through the open door of Branch's. "No! Get out! Shoo!" Branch starts waving his hands trying to shoo them.
"Aw, calling birds, how cute. You know they sing. Well they whistle but-" Poppy starts.
"Not now, Poppy, help me!" Branch says desperately. Poppy smiles and starts singing.

"Rise up this morning.
Smiled with the rising sun.
Four little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singing sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying; this is my message to you-ou-ou."

To Branch's surprise the four birds that were flying in his house left. Branch turned to Poppy but she kept singing.

"Singing don't worry about a thing
Every little thing is gonna be alright
Singing don worry about a thing
Cause every little thing is gonna be alright."

"Poppy." Branch folds his arms. That's when a ding goes off next to his bed. Hug Time. Poppy stares at Branch, then looks at her wrist to see hers light up. She doesn't move. She doesn't open her arms. Her eyes drop as the colour starts fading from the watch. Branch roles his eyes.
"One hug and you will leave, okay?" She smiles again and walks up to his opened arms and hugs him tight. For the first time in a while, Branch doesn't mind the hug. He hugs back until she lets go. Poppy turns to leave then stops at the door.
"Every little thing will be alright, alright?" She smiles once more and closes the door.

8 days left